Collage, designed by Stephen Ormandy: “The design was influenced by the floating nature of lily pads and the opportunity to combine individual sculptural shapes into a cohesive useful object”.

In February of 2007, two San Francisco art and travel addicts purchased a 3,200-square-foot former Chinese laundry and tooth-powder factory with column-free interiors and a zigzagging sawtooth roof in lower Pacific Heights. They customized a pair of shipping containers to accommodate their collection and reflect their passions, and hired a local company to sandblast the interior to expose the board-formed concrete walls and replace the carpeted floors with Georgia hickory pecan planks to further lengthen the loft and make it look more like a warehouse.

Homeowner Simon Doonan stands next to the front door. "We have flamboyance, and we’re not inhibited about anything. [Architect] Gray Organschi gave [the house] that intellectual rigor needed to make it beautiful. We were well matched."

The Premaydena House by Misho+Associates was designed as a "box within a box," in which two interior structures—an open-plan living space and two en suite bedrooms—sit within an exterior envelope. Inspired by the region’s fiery orange lichen and the indigenous waratah shrub’s bright flowers, the colorful exterior panels are made of heavy-duty galvanized steel to guard from Tasmanian winds, which can reach up to 60 miles per hour.

Webber + Studio went with a bold, orange hue for these kitchen countertops. Past the front door and a short hallway lies an expansive living, dining, and kitchen space.

The bright orange frame of this glazed door adds a sense of modern exuberance to the deck off of Francesco Moncada and Mafalda Rangel’s bedroom. The sunny, open space reveals both a Loop chair by Willy Guhl and the tile rooftops of Syracuse, where the water is never far off.

Kate and Gerald relax in the living room.

Lucinda Stacking Chair from CB2A classic café chair in a slick new color way can be used indoors or out. $69.95

This "local prefab" home on the Isle of Skye is made mostly from materials sourced in northern Scotland. The timber-framed model, meant to evoke the simple agrarian barns of the area, can be constructed on-site in as little as a day and is designed for affordability.

Architect Bill Ryall installed vertical circulation elements, opened an unobstructed 47-foot-long view from front to back, and kept the ceiling beams exposed to create a loft-like environment.

The orange-painted MDF cabinets add a pop of color to the sun-washed kitchen.

The orange facade of the Jakob + MacFarlane-designed Orange Cube in Lyon, France.

An orange chair and cream ottoman of Risom's design.

The orange his-and-hers lamps in the bedroom came from Högner's sister's childhood bedroom. "My sister prefers new things," said Högner. "But my dad can't throw anything out.

Black and white kitchen cabinets painted with a triangular pattern add a whimsical touch to this funky kitchen.

For a cost-conscious 2,000-square-foot renovation located 30 minutes outside of Austin, Texas, architect Nick Deaver took a look around for inspiration. He spied galvanized metal cladding on the region’s sheds and co-opted the inexpensive, resilient material for his own design. He then applied locally quarried Lueders limestone near the entrance—a warm contrast to the steely facade.

Citrange Orange Squeezer: This simple tool from Royal VKB fits on your cup and filters out the seeds as you juice, eliminating the sticky middle compartment. $18

A closer look at a finished Balloon Bowl.

In Situ Design and Lilian B Interiors adapted a six-story brownstone in midtown Manhattan into a boutique hotel with 33 guest suites. Each floor received what the designers call a “visceral” color treatment using Benjamin Moore paints, including Outrageous Orange.

As Topo’s founders are from Wyoming and Colorado, the brand keeps the Mountain West as a touchstone, and strives to present the West to the rest of the world. The founders grew up using classic mountain gear with their families, and many of the brand’s designs hark back to timeless styles from the 1970s. The brand also cites Japanese design as an influence, which is evident in the use of color and minimalist details. Although the company has throwback inspiration, Topo Designs prides itself on being a twenty-first century enterprise. The company’s Instagram account is a huge part of its branding, acknowledging the impact of the medium on site traffic. For Topo, imagery is a great way to present a lifestyle, and social media platforms help with outreach. The company also has a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Flickr presence.

When Abbie and Bill Burton hired Marmol Radziner to design their prefab weekend home, their two requests were “simple-simple, replaceable materials,” says Abbie—such as concrete floors (poured offsite in Marmol Radziner's factory) and metal panel siding—and “the ability to be indoors or outdoors with ease.” Deep overhangs provide shade and protection from rain, so the Burtons can leave their doors open year-round and hang out on their 70-foot-long deck even in inclement weather. They visit the house once a month, usually for a week at a time, with Vinnie and Stella, their rescue Bernese Mountain dogs. Their two adult children occasionally join them. The couple hopes to one day retire here.

How a highly productive collaboration among a trio of creative Angelenas—and a good dose of Barragán—turned a dark and beleaguered midcentury house into a family home for the ages.

A desk inside of the the hotel's spacious rooms.

Made from Kartell’s signature plastic, the Charles Ghost Stool features a shape that evokes stools made in the 1800s, while offering a decidedly modern slant.

Orange County Government Center, 1971, Paul Rudolph.

Bright orange and cobalt-blue surfaces dominate the minimalist kitchen.

From Chilewich, this placemat is made from intricately woven vinyl and terrastrand, creating a strong, weather-resistant mat. Sold as a set of four.

Designer Nanna Ditzel created this teak piece for Denmark-based IDG in 1952. It's signed with an applied metal manufacturer's label on the underside. Read more about the Settee here.

Orange County Government Center, 1971, Paul Rudolph.

Orange County Government Center, 1971, Paul Rudolph.

1960Kiki Stool by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Artek.

Orange County Government Center, 1971, Paul Rudolph.

Exclusive to Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. and made right in their Portland factory, this hand-spun steel, powder coated side table is the perfect modern-industrial addition to any home.

Bugaboo's colorful strollers, which can be upgraded over time, and Norwegian company Stokke's cribs, which convert into beds as children grow, will be displayed inside the Modern Family pavilion.

Orange County Government Center (Goshen, New York: 1967) History: Architect Paul Rudolph, then dean of the Yale School of Architecture, created this Brutalist structure, which has been praised as a fantastic example of the form. Sadly, some Orange County legislators don’t share the same opinion, owing to occasional leaks (a storm in the 1970s required workers to string up a tarp) resulting from poor upkeep over time. One went so far as to call it a “monstrosity.” Status: In 2013, a vote authorized funds to preserves the building, but subsequent reports suggest the option of demolition or replacement is still on the table. What You Can Do: The Paul Rudolph Foundation posts updates about the building and has organized events and fundraisers to raise awareness of its plight. Image Credit: Joe Schumacher, Creative Commons